What are the responsibilities and job description for the Laboratory Specialist – NBS Molecular position at State of North Carolina?
JOB
The Laboratory Specialist position performs technically sophisticated, highly complex laboratory procedures, following standard operating procedures, Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) and universal precautions, on dried blood spot (DBS) clinical specimens from newborns for the detection of Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), and classical and clinical variant Galactosemia. Molecular technologies performed include targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Real-Time PCR. The position has pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical and general responsibility related to testing, reporting, and ensuring the accuracy and validity of test results. This position will perform routine instrument maintenance, assist in writing and revising technical standard operating procedures, using CLSI guidelines, use laboratory information systems (LIMS) to record, retrieve and store results, and communicate with the supervisor. This position also performs extensive QA activities as outlined by the laboratory wide Quality Assurance Program and NBS Molecular SOPs to verify optimal performance of instrumentation and validity of analytical results. QA activities include participating in method validation studies, instrument comparisons, preparation of PT specimens, investigating QC sample or PT sample failures and reporting findings to the supervisor, reviewing QC data from molecular instrumentation, investigation, root cause analyses and corrective action/preventative action reports of any non-conforming events, reporting results to the supervisor, and performing and documenting instrument troubleshooting. About the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services manages the delivery of health and human-related services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable people – children, elderly, disabled and low-income families. The Department works closely with health care professionals, community leaders, advocacy groups, local, state and federal entities and many other stakeholders to make this happen. About the State Laboratory of Public Health: The State Laboratory of Public Health (SLPH), we provide medical and environmental laboratory services such as testing, consultation, and training, to public and private health provider organizations responsible for the promotion, protection, and assurance of the health of North Carolina citizens. SLPH serves the entire state as a reference laboratory for difficult, unusual, or otherwise unavailable laboratory procedures and assist in the development, evaluation, and standardization of medical and environmental laboratory testing procedures. We provide training and consultation to improve and assure quality services in other laboratories and certify milk and water laboratories and milk analysts. We test for Acanthamoeba to Zika and everything in between! Visit our website at http://slph.ncpublichealth.com to learn more. Campus Amenities and Benefits at the State Laboratory of Public Health: 220,000 square feet campus built in 2012 Plentiful Free Parking Easy access to shopping centers, the state art museum, healthcare providers, and highways (70, 40 and 440) Break Rooms with Vending Machines, Ice Machines, Coffee Makers, Magazines, and Commercial Grade Microwave Ovens Patio Dining with Umbrellas Weekly Food Trucks, including Double Food Truck Fridays Car Cleaning and Detailing Services On-site bimonthly Wellness Activities Fitness Center with Exercise Equipment and Classes Annual Flu Shot Clinic for Employees and Families Monthly and Quarterly Workshop Sessions Employee Engagement and Staff Development Activities NCSLPH Employee Recognition Programs State Health Plan and State of NC Employee BenefitsCompensation and Benefits: The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit website for benefits. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Listed below are the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position. These KSAs, along with the minimum education and experience listed, are required in order to be deemed "eligible" for the position therefore you must provide supporting information, within the body of your application, to demonstrate your possession of each KSA listed. Any information listed under the text resume section or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit. Qualified applicants must document on the application that they possess all of the following: Employees in this position must be capable of meeting the Federal CLIA ’88 personnel requirements for CLIA Testing Personnel in a laboratory performing high complexity testing. Applicant must provide copies of their transcript(s) and/or certification(s)Demonstrated experience with molecular assays, terminology, and other analytical equipmentExperience conducting nucleic acid extraction and DNA amplification to evaluate clinical specimensComprehensive understanding of the best practices used to ensure high quality, accurate and timely molecular test resultsDemonstrated experience in analytical troubleshooting skills and adequate maintenance of laboratory equipmentDemonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail to coordinate multifaceted testing activitiesMust understand the hazards of working with potentially infectious material and must know and apply appropriate precautionsDemonstrated knowledge of maintaining specimen integrity and Quality Assurance (QA) activities including, but not limited to, inspecting specimen collection quality, developing and/or updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), examining Quality Control (QC) data to determine acceptability, accurately analyzing quarterly Proficiency Testing (PT) specimens, and comprehensively documenting laboratory work performedExperience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)Demonstrated experience conducting laboratory developed tests and/or FDA-approved assays.Experience working with clinical laboratory procedures and processesHigh degree of accuracy, attention to detail, documentation and flexibility in workflow and assignments. Management Preferences: Experience in conducting molecular testing to detect human conditions/disorders in a clinical diagnostic or public health laboratory.Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).Physical Requirements: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/.DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive information. Information should be provided in the appropriate areas to include the beginning and ending dates of jobs worked, education with the date graduated, all work experience, and certificates / licenses. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. Answers to Supplemental Questions must refer to education or work experience listed on this application to receive credit. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If a former member of the NC National Guard, who served for at least 6 years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an unofficial transcript to each application to receive credit for this education.Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check.Applications for positions requiring specific coursework must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's transcript. Applicants with degrees not conferred at a United States college or university must attach verification that their degree is equivalent to a similar degree from a U.S. institution. The Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent. For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application.NOTE: Applicants will receive communication via email only for updates on the status of their application or any questions on their application. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact HR at 919-855-4930.To check the status of an application, please log in to your NC Government Job Opportunities account and click "Application Status". For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 877-204-4442. If you have a technical issue with your Government Jobs account, please call their Help Line at 1-855-524-5627.
The Laboratory Specialist position performs technically sophisticated, highly complex laboratory procedures, following standard operating procedures, Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) and universal precautions, on dried blood spot (DBS) clinical specimens from newborns for the detection of Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), and classical and clinical variant Galactosemia. Molecular technologies performed include targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Real-Time PCR. The position has pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical and general responsibility related to testing, reporting, and ensuring the accuracy and validity of test results. This position will perform routine instrument maintenance, assist in writing and revising technical standard operating procedures, using CLSI guidelines, use laboratory information systems (LIMS) to record, retrieve and store results, and communicate with the supervisor. This position also performs extensive QA activities as outlined by the laboratory wide Quality Assurance Program and NBS Molecular SOPs to verify optimal performance of instrumentation and validity of analytical results. QA activities include participating in method validation studies, instrument comparisons, preparation of PT specimens, investigating QC sample or PT sample failures and reporting findings to the supervisor, reviewing QC data from molecular instrumentation, investigation, root cause analyses and corrective action/preventative action reports of any non-conforming events, reporting results to the supervisor, and performing and documenting instrument troubleshooting. About the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services manages the delivery of health and human-related services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable people – children, elderly, disabled and low-income families. The Department works closely with health care professionals, community leaders, advocacy groups, local, state and federal entities and many other stakeholders to make this happen. About the State Laboratory of Public Health: The State Laboratory of Public Health (SLPH), we provide medical and environmental laboratory services such as testing, consultation, and training, to public and private health provider organizations responsible for the promotion, protection, and assurance of the health of North Carolina citizens. SLPH serves the entire state as a reference laboratory for difficult, unusual, or otherwise unavailable laboratory procedures and assist in the development, evaluation, and standardization of medical and environmental laboratory testing procedures. We provide training and consultation to improve and assure quality services in other laboratories and certify milk and water laboratories and milk analysts. We test for Acanthamoeba to Zika and everything in between! Visit our website at http://slph.ncpublichealth.com to learn more. Campus Amenities and Benefits at the State Laboratory of Public Health: 220,000 square feet campus built in 2012 Plentiful Free Parking Easy access to shopping centers, the state art museum, healthcare providers, and highways (70, 40 and 440) Break Rooms with Vending Machines, Ice Machines, Coffee Makers, Magazines, and Commercial Grade Microwave Ovens Patio Dining with Umbrellas Weekly Food Trucks, including Double Food Truck Fridays Car Cleaning and Detailing Services On-site bimonthly Wellness Activities Fitness Center with Exercise Equipment and Classes Annual Flu Shot Clinic for Employees and Families Monthly and Quarterly Workshop Sessions Employee Engagement and Staff Development Activities NCSLPH Employee Recognition Programs State Health Plan and State of NC Employee BenefitsCompensation and Benefits: The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit website for benefits. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Listed below are the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the position. These KSAs, along with the minimum education and experience listed, are required in order to be deemed "eligible" for the position therefore you must provide supporting information, within the body of your application, to demonstrate your possession of each KSA listed. Any information listed under the text resume section or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit. Qualified applicants must document on the application that they possess all of the following: Employees in this position must be capable of meeting the Federal CLIA ’88 personnel requirements for CLIA Testing Personnel in a laboratory performing high complexity testing. Applicant must provide copies of their transcript(s) and/or certification(s)Demonstrated experience with molecular assays, terminology, and other analytical equipmentExperience conducting nucleic acid extraction and DNA amplification to evaluate clinical specimensComprehensive understanding of the best practices used to ensure high quality, accurate and timely molecular test resultsDemonstrated experience in analytical troubleshooting skills and adequate maintenance of laboratory equipmentDemonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail to coordinate multifaceted testing activitiesMust understand the hazards of working with potentially infectious material and must know and apply appropriate precautionsDemonstrated knowledge of maintaining specimen integrity and Quality Assurance (QA) activities including, but not limited to, inspecting specimen collection quality, developing and/or updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), examining Quality Control (QC) data to determine acceptability, accurately analyzing quarterly Proficiency Testing (PT) specimens, and comprehensively documenting laboratory work performedExperience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)Demonstrated experience conducting laboratory developed tests and/or FDA-approved assays.Experience working with clinical laboratory procedures and processesHigh degree of accuracy, attention to detail, documentation and flexibility in workflow and assignments. Management Preferences: Experience in conducting molecular testing to detect human conditions/disorders in a clinical diagnostic or public health laboratory.Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).Physical Requirements: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer who embraces an Employment First philosophy which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/.DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive information. Information should be provided in the appropriate areas to include the beginning and ending dates of jobs worked, education with the date graduated, all work experience, and certificates / licenses. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application. Answers to Supplemental Questions must refer to education or work experience listed on this application to receive credit. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If a former member of the NC National Guard, who served for at least 6 years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22.If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an unofficial transcript to each application to receive credit for this education.Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check.Applications for positions requiring specific coursework must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's transcript. Applicants with degrees not conferred at a United States college or university must attach verification that their degree is equivalent to a similar degree from a U.S. institution. The Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent. For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application.NOTE: Applicants will receive communication via email only for updates on the status of their application or any questions on their application. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact HR at 919-855-4930.To check the status of an application, please log in to your NC Government Job Opportunities account and click "Application Status". For technical issues with your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 877-204-4442. If you have a technical issue with your Government Jobs account, please call their Help Line at 1-855-524-5627.
